The Big Health blog

The State of Sleep & Mental Health Report

Over the last several years at Big Health, we have compiled and analyzed a variety of data from over 750,000+ individuals across 25+ large self-insured US employers. After learning so much about The State of Sleep & Mental Health, we have decided to publish a report that highlights the relevant facts for leading benefits leaders to better understand the extent of the problem, and ways to address these high costs - why keep this knowledge to ourselves?!

The data you need to build the business case for mental health within your organization, and understand the true financial costs of insomnia, anxiety, and depression

The analyses consisted of quantifying and evaluating the costs of individuals suffering from the most common mental health conditions: insomnia, anxiety, and depression. The data came from a variety of sources, but primarily medical and pharmacy claims data as well as a clinical sleep survey. Inside the report, you will find valuable data points such as a breakdown of the prevalence of insomnia across industries.

Beyond that, the report also highlights findings from the costs of sleep and its impact on productivity and disability costs. The likelihood of an individual on disability to have insomnia was found to be much higher than the general population, with details of the costs differences also highlighted. Typically two thirds of patients suffering from clinical levels of anxiety or depression also have insomnia. And it’s not just that they overlap; studies suggest that sleep problems may directly contribute to the development of some psychiatric disorders.

At Big Health, we know that sleep and mental health is not only a cost problem, but a human problem. It is well known that over 20% of employees meet the criteria for a mental health diagnosis, but significantly fewer individuals receive adequate treatment due to:

Low awareness of the condition

Stigma surrounding mental health

Lack of access to high quality care

The report not only highlights the extent of the costs, but also tells the story of a woman named Laurie, a 32-year-old mother of a demanding toddler who is struggling to keep up with everything on her plate.